The Principles of the Protestant Religion Maintained, Introduction
The Introduction.
IT is reported of Bellarmine, that great Atlas of the Papal Intereſt, that after his Death, there was a ſharp Conteſt in the Lateran, whether his books ſhould not be called in & burnt, as having in them as much expoſed the cauſe by his over liberal Conceſſions, as ſupported it by his cunning Sophiſms. And we are told that the Papiſts have hanged Eraſmus between Heaven and Hell, becauſe he profeſt himſelf a Catholick, and yet wrote too much like a Proteſtant. The Hands were Eſau's, but the Voice Jacob's. And what Reaſon G. K. hath to expect the like treat at the hands of his brethren the Quakers, will be obvious to any that ſhall read his late pernicious Pamphlet pretended to be emitted for the Diſcovery of the falſe Doctrines of ſome particular ſorts of Profeſſors of Religion, but indeed to Bid Defiance to the True Religion, in the principal fundamental Articles of it, as they have been in all Ages and places acknowledged by the Church of Chriſt; which he hath clothed in a rough Garment to de…eive withal. For however he expreſſeth a right ſpirit of a Quaker, in his nonſenſe, fallacious way of declaring himſelf, and bitter Reviling of the Orthodox, which is enough to proclaim him one of that Society; yet might any Credit be given to his words, and the commonly received Senſe put upon his Expreſſions, it is apparent …hat he hath mightily betrayed the Cauſe he undertook to patronize, and (ſetting aſide his Billingsgate-Rhetorick, a gift ſeldo…e ſeparable from theſe men) hath ſaid more againſt their received Principles (if they ever had any) than againſt ours: For if he ſpeak the Judgement of the Quakers, it is certain that G. F. and other Rabbi's of that Sect were miſtaken, for they ſpeak quite another thing; except he will tell us, we poor ignorants underſtand not the Language of their ſpirit, which regards neither Grammer nor Logick; and this is the Hercules's Club, where-with they are wont to knock all our Reaſons in the head, and brain them at once.
However, his Deſign is eaſily diſcerned: The Devil himſelf, that ſpirit of Deluſion, knowing that ſome principles are rivetted in men's Minds, will nouriſh them (tho' he be the Father of Lies) that he may graft his Falſehoods upon the ſtock of them: and why ſhould not his Meſſengers do the like in Imitation? See 2. Cor. 11.13, 14, 15. He hopes by ſome large Conceſſions to gain Credit with the Simple, and perſwade them to ſay as they, Act. 23.9. for whoſe ſake only have we undertaken him, and not for any need of Refuting his Errors, which have been ſo often Caſhiered, there being no New-Revelation in them, but what has been the Vomit of ancient Hereticks licked up by him, and again diſgorged.